One of my resolutions for the past decade has been to engage myself more with the live music scene, something I desperately want to do, but find time and money to be two of my most immediate hurdles.
As a part-time hobby musician – playing bass guitar in a live band, and tinkering around with some songwriting ideas, seeing talented musicians live is always a treat. And well worth doing often if you can afford it.
My last proper gig-outing was to see Massive Attack play at Brixton Academy, quite a different experience to small intimate gigs where you’re practically sitting next to the musicians.
So I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from my local Dawsons music shop announcing that Stu Hamm would be holding a Bass Clinic and showing off the latest Hartke amplification. I’ve known for a small while that the store would be axing their Ampeg Bass Gear, I had just bought a 2X10 cab from them 2 months ago and had been given a heads up that the Ampeg kit was just too expensive for most of the customers.
So I was half expecting the clinic to be sold out – and thus I replied to the email the following day and surprisingly got a response saying my name was on the list.
Bass clinics – go to them, especially if you have a talented musician doing his thing. I wasn’t quite sure what would happen, but being greeted at Dawsons, after checking in with Foursquare, with nibbles, juice or beer was a nice welcome.
Stu flew in especially for this Clinic, which surprised me being in the sticks known as Reading. After warming up with some amazing solo work with a track, title something like “My boss drives a Mercedes whilst I’m working a minimum wage”, we were treated with the amazing cover renditions played entirely on the bass plugged into the Hartke rig.
Songs such as :
Star Spangled Banner
We Will Rock You
Going To California
Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds
Were performed by Stu & Mel (his Bass Guitar)
Outstanding musicianship.